The present invention relates most generally to torque and/or rotational control devices such as clutches or brakes, generally to the overall configuration or assembly, friction disc cooling, and pad mounting for clutches or brakes, more particularly to caliper brakes, and most particularly to tension or torque control of external caliper brakes.
It is a continuous problem to provide clutches or brakes which are efficient, have high ability to transfer the heat energy generated in the engagement process and/or in a constant slipping arrangement, and are easy to maintain and operate. The present invention provides such apparatus.
The device of the present invention, in its most preferred brake form, is then an external, multi-caliper brake arranged to provide controlled torque to a shaft including a hub arranged to be mounted to this shaft. A longitudinally centrally located, internally finned friction disc is in turn mounted to the hub. The brake housing, in a preferred brake form, supports multiple brake cylinders or calipers, each of which in the most preferred form includes a diaphragm operated, fluid pressure actuated piston carrying a brake pad. The external calipers in the most preferred brake embodiment are then fluid actuated to frictionally engage the longitudinally centrally located finned friction disc and control the torque and/or rotation of the shaft. The multiplicity of calipers is for the intended purpose of broadening the range of torque and rotational control.
The friction disc described then provides increased cooling and increased brake efficiency by means of a finned arrangement. In the most preferred brake form, the friction disc is formed of two, opposed, interlaced, finned portions to create a serpentine, radial and circumferential air cooling path for the friction disc and provide better heat transfer and increased brake efficiency. Another preferred brake embodiment includes double sided fins to better cool not only the frictional disc itself but the external calipers themselves.
In addition to the overall assembly feature of the brake described and the particular feature of the finned disc, the brake described provides quick pad change and maintenance by use of a pinned pad support approach.
It is then an object of the present invention to provide more efficient torque and/or rotational control apparatus.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide torque and/or rotational control apparatus having increased heat transfer characteristics.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide torque and/or rotational control apparatus which is more easily maintained.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide torque and/or rotational control apparatus which has increased overall efficiency.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide torque and/or rotational control apparatus which has increased overall cooling characteristics.
These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become clearer in the light of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of this invention described in connection with the drawings.